Helping riders maximize athletic power is the emphasis of this presentation by Zuzana Suzan. She is a physiotherapist and senior instructor for the Prague School of Rehabilitation. The two-day workshop aims to improve rider performance and skills through “dynamic neuromuscular stabilization.”

For more information, visit www.purplepass.com/DNSEQ2018, e-mail
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, or call 510-410-1771.

Back To School BashAug. 10-11 in Paso Robles

This is not one of the shows staged with increasing frequency and success at the beautiful Paso Robles Horse Park. Instead, it’s an opportunity to “enjoy the park and share in equine education.”

On Friday afternoon, visiting horse/riders and their trainers can school over courses set at a maximum height of 2’6”, for 30-minute sessions at $10 a pop. Up to four riders, or one trainer with five riders, will be permitted into the arena during each pre-scheduled ride time.

The schooling is followed by an outdoor movie screening, with seating on the grassy L.D. Hayes berm. Popcorn and s’mores included!

Education is Saturday morning’s highlight. The first of two tracks is an introduction to horses that includes safety, trail rides in the Park, and horsey crafting. Local 4H, Pony Club and the Cal Poly Equestrian Team members will be on hand to introduce visitors to various aspects of the equestrian world.

Saturday’s second educational track is geared for those already on the horsey path. Presentations on grooming, hoof and veterinary care fill the early morning, followed by show etiquette, tack review and a “meet the judge” session. Farrier Tony Knust, Dr. David Bogenrief of Estrella Equine Hospital, judge Dorothy Torosian, Riding Warehouse and Central Coast Trail Rides are among the locals involved in this neat event.

The weather is hot and so is the dressage scene. The Junior/Young Rider Championships South take place Aug. 23-26 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, a month after their Northern counterparts were held in the Sacramento area’s Rancho Murieta. September brings the Championships Show & Futurity/GAIG/USDF Region 7 Finals. We ran into Cornerstone Events’ Glenda McElroy in June and she reports the Champs are on track to be big again this year.

For more events, including a George Williams clinic in the Bay Area, see Nan Meek’s Dressage News & Views column, this issue.

And now for something completely different from our normal english riding fare: The Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo is celebrating 18 years of good old family entertainment. The Rodeo continues to elevate the level of competition, which draws the best contestants from across the world to compete in the richest two-day rodeo in the nation with a purse totaling over $180,000.

The top 30 contestants compete in each event for cash prizes in the hopes of continuing on for the grand prize at the Nationals Final Rodeo in Las Vegas in Saddle Bronc, Bareback Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Steer Wrestling, Bull Riding and Team Roping. This Rodeo features the best of the best!

Celebrating the golden age of early California history and the American West, Rancho Mission Viejo has committed to the preservation of the cowboy way of life. Carrying on the cowboy tradition of “passing the hat” in support of a sick child or needy friend, all proceeds from the Rodeo will benefit local charities.

The inaugural CPHA Style of Riding Northern California Championship, a USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $30,000 Grand Prix of Silicon Valley are competitive highlights of this West Palms Events hunter/jumper show. Fun is also on the agenda. A dunk tank, mechanical bull and assorted carnival games are Saturday afternoon activities. Plus, a progressive barn aisle party and a “giant” potluck party harken back to horse showing’s roots as primarily social events.

When it comes to horsemanship education, it’s “back to school” season year-round at Julie Winkel’s Maplewood, Inc. in Reno and September is especially busy. On Sunday, Sept. 2, the training, breeding and education center hosts a saddle-fitting clinic with Emily Lance, presented by the Sierra Nevada Horse Show Association.

The annual Maplewood Young Horse Trainer School is set for Sept. 4-9. This is a sought-after educational opportunity for trainers wishing to learn more about training young horses. From halter breaking foals to backing 3-year-olds to preparing sport horse prospects for the International Jumper Futurity, the school offers a variety of educational opportunities, both in the classroom and in the arenas, to expand horsemanship and training knowledge. Julie is the clinician, along with Jose Alejos and Mauricio Benavente.

A Sport Horse Conformation Seminar, Judge’s School and USHJA Trainers Certification Clinic are also scheduled for September. Along with terrific education, all help attendees fulfill various education requirements or recommendations for industry professional and volunteer positions. These offerings are among many on Maplewood’s fall agenda.

Does your special event deserve special coverage in California Riding Magazine’s What’s Happening Event Calendar? If so, let us know and don’t forget a photo. Send it all to
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, or call her at 949-644-2165. Our deadline is the first of the month for the following month’s issue. Please submit your events by September 1st for the October issue. It’s the place to be and it’s free!